City region food systems in Medellin, Colombia: A pathway of governmental and territorial integration to face the COVID-19 crisis

29/04/2020

Photo credit: Medellin City Council Officials

By Juan Zuluaga Orrego (FAO Colombia) and Guido Santini (FAO AGP Division)

The COVID-19 pandemic faced by humanity is unprecedented, and understanding its direct and collateral effects on the economy is the basis for preventing the crisis from deepening. Food distribution in developing countries relies often on high rates of informality which, in the case of Colombia in 2019, is approximately around 47% in the most important cities (including Medellin) indicating the high level of vulnerability of the food supply systems.

In this context, food security and nutrition have become a challenge for countries, entailing more responsibility and leadership from local governments to address the issue. Therefoe, it is key to recognize their role in establishing solid and healthy relationships between spaces that produce and consume food and actors participating in the food supply chain in each neighbourhood, urban and rural (vereda) commune, municipality, region and department.

In recent years, the city of Medellín has led public policy processes focusing on food security and nutrition (FSN) as pillar of territorial development where the regional and territorial agri-food system is key to supply the population with sufficient food.

The first stage was taken by the city of Medellín through the City Region Food Systems Programme, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and RUAF from 2015-2018. The programme defined the city region food system as a geographical space where the greatest number of social, environmental and economic interactions occur - supplying the city region with about 30% of required food. The knowledge generated around the city region allows local institutions to proceed in the current crisis wisely, quickly and effectively through evidence-based decisions in relation to food, that avoid deepening the social problem.

Through the perspective of city region food systems, tools have been created to consolidate marketing circuits and proximity markets – in order to generate greater connectivity between food production and consumption. This creates a supply alternative during the COVID-19 crisis, where groups of food vendors are generated in popular neighbourhoods of the city supplied through the municipal program of urban and peri-urban gardens, called Huertas para el Abastecimiento. In the first two weeks of compulsory quarantine (from 25^th march), the program has helped mobilize 20 tons of food. Overall, the program generates income for producers, lowers the costs of supplying vendors and ensures a secure channel of food supply. In addition, the City Council is very active in strengthening food distribution channels, including supporting farmers with transportation services. Through the support from the local authorities to connect local producers and private companies, more than 7 tons of food from neighbouring rural communes were distributed. In addition, the authorities have also facilitated the supply of food from local producers to popular canteens to benefit the most vulnerable populations in Medellin.

In parallel, some citizens and farmers are keeping the agricultural economy alive by creating local distribution channels and networks, through WhatsApp or other social media to supply local markets within the same neighbourhood and commune with fresh fruits and vegetables. Many small farmers are becoming visible and reachable by consumers that used to prefer large supermarkets. Other citizens have been active to promote other initiatives such as "Compra Local" (local purchase), a digital platform that allows producers to supply "Farmers' Markets" online. On its first day, the platform reached 12 000 visits and 120 different farmers markets while during the first three days, 8.2 tons of food from local producers were sold.

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the territorial perspective and the concept of city region food systems, recently included in the city's food and nutrition security programs, are significantly contributing to developing an approach to respond to the crises. These aim at connecting actors in the food supply system of Medellin and at identifying and creating alternative supply chains that complement government action and allow territorial integration.

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